Christchurch professional award winning photographer Dean Norrie
{NZIPP} at Star Photographers has photographed hundreds of weddings
and the million dollar question asked by many who is going to
photograph your wedding? Lucky we have on staff two excellent
photographers that captured all our special day to a very high
standard that would satisfy any perfectionist photographer
(especially the most important day of his life his own
wedding).
The Proposal Our first holiday
together was Hanmer Springs thermal pools & spa. We continued
to go there for holidays as really loved to soak in the hot thermal
pools. To my huge surprise while in the pool Dean produced a very
large blue sapphire diamond cluster ring and asked me to marry him
reminding us of our first holiday together, closeby there was a
photographer who captured this moment and the photos were for sale
as post cards which were sent to both parents with our great
news.
Location location location St
Barnabas church was were both our parents got married and we
both got christened at; therefore really significant to us both.
The bride and bridesmaids (Neighbours} all lived around the corner
from the Ilam homestead, we use to play there and fish for
eels in the avon river there. Both Dean and Sarah spent many years
working around the world but were often homesick for their garden
city Christchuch. Our photo tour was at our favourite locations,
The Christchurch Gothic arts centre, tram ride around the
city loop, and punting on the avon river.
Our wedding Style We share a love
for birds and especially white doves which symbolize love, peace,
they pair up for life and are totally committed to each other. Our
theme for our wedding was 2 Doves, feathers, bird cages and the
colour duck egg blue. The bridemaids dresses, grooms mens ties,
flower girl, our Miniature schnauzers tie,the cake, chocolate place
names, menus and invites, church order of service was this
beautiful soft colour. We had white dove biscuits and Cadbury mini
eggs at the tables along with bird cage candel holders, and one big
bird cage that lit up behind the bride and groom's table. At the
Church we had 2 bird cages on roman pillers with a white dove in
each cage at the church entrance, after the service we set them
free.
Sound of Music We both really love
music which was the highlight to our wedding, Sarah loves Opera and
Dean loves Jazz. We hired to amazing sopranos to sing us up the
isle Dome epais le jasmine Lakmè (Flower Duet) we sang all things
bright and beautiful as a Hymn because we love nature. The sopranos
then sang Barcarolle Les Conte d'Hoffman while we lit a unit
candle. We then walked out of the church to organ music Arrival of
the queen of Sheba then set 2 Doves free to Amazing grace by a Bag
Piper and to acknowledge our Scottish heritage and new journey
together. At our reception we had a cocktail party down stairs to
a 3 piece jazz band trumpet, double base, and piano,
they also played up stairs over dinner, For our first
dance Dean sang to me with the back up of the band It
had to be you. This was so romantic and special to both of us.
My advice for brides to be I took
on a mammoth task making my own 3 tied wedding cake made from
fruit. The bottom tier was 14 inches followed by 10, and 6 inches
for the top tier. My end goal was to achieve an English Wedgwood
china look, with carrying the duck egg blue theme. Each cake was
cooked, stored and iced to perfection, only to discover that most
wedding cakes the bottom tier is the only edible cake and the
other cakes can be polystyrene and then iced. With the anticipation
of yet another aftershock as a result of our recent earth quake,
assembling your top tier is recommended on the day, not the night
before your wedding.
The
Details
Bride's gown Venus collection VII
5220 Crystal Taffeta/lace, Davis Bridal, Bird cage veil Avon
Bridal, Shoes Benjamin Adams London
Girls hair Wairakei hair and beauty.
Make up artist Liza Austin- Clinique
Bridesmaid dresses Staxs. Shoes moda
bella
Mother of the bride outfit Smith and
Boston Prebbleton, accessories Ballantynes
Grooms's & attire Deans suit
hire Flowers Riccarton Florist
Cake, Biscuits and Macaroons,
Sarah Johnson (Bride) Music Viva Live, Orange studios, Bag piper
Stuart wood, Organist Denis Guyan. Bridal party transport All black
classic cars. Dove release Neil Boswel. Videographer Geoff
Gilfedder, Photographers Star Photographers. Reverend Philip
Robinson St Barnabas parish, Reception Ilam Homestead. Rings
Mason & Carter Goldsmiths Ltd Merivale
Catering White tie.